IC card connector

ABSTRACT

An IC card connector is provided which comprises a fixed frame, electrode pieces attached to the fixed frame so as to form contact portions, a moving frame having a holding portion in which the IC card is inserted and held and a window from which each of the electrode terminals of the IC card is exposed when the IC card is inserted into the holding portion, and a support mechanism for supporting the moving frame on the fixed frame. The support mechanism acts to allow the moving frame to rotate between a first position, at which each of the electrode terminals of the IC card inserted into the holding portion of the moving frame is brought into contact with the contact portions of each of the electrode pieces through the window of the moving frame, and a second position, at which the contact between each of the electrode terminals and the contact portion of each of the electrode pieces is broken by the rotation of the moving frame to a position which is at a certain angle with respect to the fixed frame.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an IC card connector which brings theelectrode terminals of an IC card that is inserted into the connectorsecurely into contact with electrode pieces thereof.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional IC card connector for connecting an IC card has such astructure as shown in the sectional view of FIG. 5 which shows the statebefore the IC card is inserted.

A frame 1 made of an insulating material such as a synthetic resin isprovided on an external device (not shown) such as a card reader. Aplurality of electrode pieces 2 each comprising a resilient conductorsuch as a metal are fixed to the frame 1 and are bent at their ends toform contact portions 2a. A moving body 3 is supported in the frame 1 soas to be able to slide in the longitudinal direction of FIG. 5, and aprojection 3a extending downwardly is provided on the lower surface ofthe moving body 3. A lever 4 is rotatably provided in a lower portion ofthe frame 1 by means of a support pin 5 so that the moving body 3 ispushed upwardly by the projection 3a when the lever 4 rotates in thecounterclockwise direction A as shown in FIG. 5.

An IC card 8 is inserted into this connector. A plurality of electrodeterminals 9 are provided along one surface of the IC card 8. The lever 4of the connector is initially rotated in the counterclockwise directionA so as to upwardly push the moving body 3. In this state, the contactportion 2a of each of the electrode pieces 2 is pushed to the left asviewed in FIG. 5 to be opened by an electrode operating portion 3b whichprojects from the lower side of the moving body 3.

When the IC card 8 is inserted into the connector, the lower end of theIC card 8 is brought into contact with the electrode operating portion3b of the moving body 3 so as to push the moving body 3 downward, andthe contact portion 2a of each of the electrode pieces 2 is releasedfrom the state wherein it is pushed open so as to elastically return toa closed position wherein it is brought into contact with each of theelectrode terminals 9 of the IC card 8 as shown in FIG. 6. At the sametime, the lever 4 is rotated in the clockwise direction by the downwardmovement of the projection 3a of the moving body 3.

When the IC card 8 is extracted from the connector, the lever 4 isrotated in the counterclockwise direction A so as to move the movingbody 3 upward. As a result, the electrode operating portion 3b of themoving body 3 pushes the ends of the electrode pieces 2 so as to makethe contact portions 2a open as well as upwardly pushing on the IC card8. In this way, the connector is returned to the state shown in FIG. 5so that the IC card 8 is extracted from the connector.

As described above, by inserting slidably the IC card 8 into theconventional IC card connector, the electrical contact between thecontact portions 2a of the electrode pieces 2 which are provided on theframe 1 and the electrode terminals 9 of the IC card 8 is provided onlyon the basis of the elastic forces of the electrode pieces 2. Thisinvolves the consequent danger that the elastic forces of the electrodepieces will decrease as the connector is used more and more, and that,when the thickness of the IC card 8 is smaller than a given value,electrical contact therebetween cannot be obtained adequately, resultingin an imperfect contact.

A further danger is that, when the thickness of the IC card 8 is large,the package of the IC card 8 will be brought into contact with thecontact portions 2a of the electrode pieces 2 and thus wear out when theIC card is linearly inserted into or extracted from the connector,resulting in an imperfect contact due to the adhesion of the powderproduced by the wear to the contact portions 2a and in the exposure ofthe electrical parts in the IC card 8 that are protected by the package.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been achieved with a view to solving theabove-described problems, and it is an object of the present inventionto provide an IC card connector with which an IC card can be securelybrought into electrical contact, and which does not cause wear of apackage even if the thickness of the IC card is considerable.

An IC card connector to which the present invention relates is aconnector which can hold an IC card and provide electrical contact witheach of the electrode terminals of the IC card, and comprises:

a fixed frame;

electrode pieces which are attached to the fixed frame and project inthe fixed frame so as to form contact portions;

a moving frame having a holding portion in which the IC card can beinserted and held and a window from which each of the electrodeterminals of the IC card is exposed for contact with said electrodepieces when the IC card is inserted into the holding portion; and

a support means for supporting the moving frame on the fixed frame sothat the moving frame can be rotated between a first position, at whicheach of the electrode terminals of the IC card inserted into the holdingportion of the moving frame is brought into contact with the contactportion of each of the electrode pieces through the window, and a secondposition, at which the contact between each of the electrode terminalsand the contact portion of each of the electrode pieces is canceled bythe rotation of the moving frame at a certain angle with respect to thefixed frame, the support means being operable to hold the moving frameat the first position when the moving frame is rotated to take the firstposition.

In other words, in the present invention, each of the electrodeterminals of the IC card is brought into contact with the contactportion of each of the electrode pieces of the connector by rotating themoving frame in which the IC card is inserted into the holding portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional side view of an IC card connector according to anembodiment of the present invention in a closed state;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the IC card connector shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional side view of the IC card connector shown in FIG. 1in a state wherein the contact is opened;

FIG. 4 is a front view of another embodiment; and

FIGS. 5 and 6 are sectional side views of a conventional IC cardconnector in a state wherein the contact is opened and closed,respectively.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In FIGS. 1 and 2, a fixed frame 11 made of an insulating material suchas a synthetic resin is provided on an external device (not shown ) suchas a card reader. A plurality of electrode pieces 12 each comprising aresilient conductor such as a metal are fixed to the fixed frame 11 andare projected and bent at their ends in the fixed frame 11 to formangular contact portions 12a. First and second support pins 13 and 14are fixed at a given distance from each other in the longitudinaldirection on each of the side walls of the fixed frame 11 so as toproject outwardly of the fixed frame 11.

A moving frame 15 made of an insulating material such as a syntheticresin is pivotally mounted on the fixed frame 11. The moving frame 15has a concave formed holding portion 15a formed therein in which an ICcard is inserted so as to be held in position. A hooked or L-shaped hole15b and an elongated hole 15c are formed in each of the side walls ofthe moving frame 15. The hooked hole 15b engages the first support pin13 of the fixed frame 11 and comprises a lateral portion and a verticalportion. The elongated hole 15c engages the second support pin 14 andextends longitudinally of the moving frame.

The moving frame 15 is supported by the fixed frame 11 through theengagement of the first and second support pins 13 and 14 with thehooked holes 15b and the elongated holes 15c, respectively, so that itcan slide a given length in the longitudinal direction. Further, whenthe moving frame 15 is slid down as far as possible with respect to thefixed frame 11, it becomes possible to swing the upper end of the movingframe 15 away from the fixed frame 11 to a certain angle due to theengagement of the lateral portions of the hooked holes 15b with thefirst pins 13, as shown in FIG. 3.

A window 15d opened at the position facing the contact portions 12a ofthe electrode pieces 12 is formed in the holding portion 15a of themoving frame 15.

In addition, a plurality of compression springs 16 are interposedbetween the bottom of the fixed frame 11 and the lower end of the movingframe 15 and act on the moving frame 15 as a biasing force that tends topush the moving frame 15 upwards.

When an IC card 8 is mounted in the connector which is configured asdescribed above, the IC card is firstly inserted into the holdingportion 15a of the moving frame 15 in the state (second position)wherein the first support pins 13 are engaged with the lateral portionsof the hooked holes 15b so that the upper end of the moving frame 15 isseparated outwardly (to the right as viewed in FIG. 3) from the fixedframe 11 by a certain angle. Accordingly, when the IC card 8 isinserted, the package of the IC card 8 does not wear due to the contactbetween the contact portions 12a of the connector and portions near theelectrode terminals 9 of the IC card 8. At this time, the IC card 8 isinserted into the connector so that the electrode terminals 9 face thewindow 15d of the holding portion 15a.

The moving frame 15 is then rotated together with the IC card 8 so thatthe upper end of the moving frame 15 is brought near the fixed frame 11(to the left as viewed in FIG. 3), and the moving frame 15 is placed atthe first position at which the electrode terminals 9 of the IC card 8are brought into contact with the fronts of the contact portions 12athrough the window 15d.

At the same time, the first support pins 13 are disengaged from thelateral portions of the hooked holes 15b so that the moving frame 15 isslid upward by the compression springs 16 to assume the state shown inFIG. 1. Namely, the first support pins 13 are engaged with the verticalportions of the hooked holes 15b so as to inhibit the rotation of themoving frame 15 and to hold the contact state between the electrodeterminals 9 of the IC card 8 and the contact portions 12a of theelectrode pieces 12.

On the other hand, when the IC card 8 is extracted from the connector,the IC card 8 is pushed downward together with the moving frame 15 inthe state shown in FIG. 1 so that the upper ends of the hooked holes 15bare brought into contact with the upper surfaces of the first supportpins 13 and the upper ends of the elongated holes 15c are brought intocontact with the upper surfaces of the second support pins 14. The ICcard 8 and the moving frame 15 are then rotated in the clockwisedirection C shown in FIG. 1 around the second support pins 14, which actas fulcrums, to allow the moving frame 15 to pivot to the secondposition which is at a certain angle with respect to the fixed frame sothat the first support pins 13 are engaged with the lateral portions ofthe hooked holes 15b. This state is maintained by the upwardly urgingforces of the compression springs 16.

Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 3, the electrode terminals 9 of the ICcard 8 are separated from the contact portions 12a, and the IC card 8 isextracted. Therefore, when the IC card is extracted, the package of theIC card 8 does not wear due to the contact between the contact portions12a of the connector and portions near the electrode terminals 9 of theIC card 8.

In the above-described embodiment, the hooked holes 15b and theelongated holes 15c are disposed in upper positions and lower positions,respectively, in both side walls of the moving frame 15. However, thehooked holes 15b and the elongated holes 15c may alternatively bereversed, i.e., disposed in lower positions and upper positions,respectively.

In addition, the above-described embodiment concerns a case in which theIC card 8 is inserted from above into the moving frame 15 so as to beoperated in an upright state, but the present invention is not limitedto this case, and the fixed frame 11 can be provided for use in ahorizontal or inclined state, or a reversed vertical state which isreverse to the state shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the present invention. Thisembodiment employs first support pins 17 which extend inward and outwardfrom the fixed frame 11 in place of the first support pins 13 and whichare also used as spring pegs. In addition, retainer pins 18 are fixed tolower positions in both side walls of the moving frame 15 and have oneend each passing through elongated holes 19 which are provided in thesides of the fixed frame 11 and extending outward therefrom. Tensionsprings 20 are provided between the support pins 17 and the retainerpins 18 outside of the fixed frame 11 in place of the compressionsprings 16 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, these springs acting topush the moving frame 15 upwardly.

In addition, in each of the above-described embodiments, the engagementof the hooked holes 15b and the elongated holes 15c with the firstsupport pins 13 or 17 and the second support pins 14, respectively,provides a mechanism having a means for rotatably supporting the movingframe 15 as well as a means for holding the moving frame 15 at the firstposition, but the present invention is not limited to this mechanism.The moving frame 15 may be rotated by other appropriate means than theengagement between the support pins and the engagement holes. Also, themeans for rotatably supporting the moving frame 15 and the means forholding it at the first position may be separately provided independentof each other.

Although the fixed frame 11 is made of an insulating material for thepurpose of preventing short circuiting of a plurality of the electrodepieces 12, a conductor such as a metal can be used for the fixed frame11 if each of the electrode pieces is provided on the fixed frame in anelectrically insulated state. Further, if the moving frame 15 isprovided in such a manner that it is not brought into contact witheither the electrode terminals 9 of the IC card 8 or the electrodepieces 12 of the fixed frame 11, it can also be made of a conductor suchas a metal.

As described above, the present invention provides the contact betweenthe electrode terminals of the IC card and the contact portions of theelectrode pieces of the connector by rotating the moving frame in whichthe IC card is inserted into the holding portion. Therefore, a contactcan be obtained with high reliability regardless of the thickness of theIC card and the elastic forces of the electrode pieces.

In addition, since the IC card can be extracted from and inserted intothe connector in a state wherein the connector moving frame is disposedat a certain angle with respect to the connector fixed frame, thepackage of the IC card does not wear while during repeated extractionand insertion thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. An IC card connector capable of holding an ICcard and providing electrical contact with each of the electrodeterminals of said IC card, said connector comprising:a fixed frame;electrode pieces which are attached to said fixed frame and have endsextending in said fixed frame to form contact portions; a moving framehaving a holding portion in which an IC card can be inserted and heldand a window through which said electrode terminals of said IC card areexposed for contact with said electrode pieces when said IC card isinserted into said holding portion; and support means for supportingsaid moving frame on said fixed frame so that said moving frame can berotated between a first position, at which each of said electrodeterminals of said IC card inserted into said holding portion of saidmoving frame is brought into contact with a corresponding one of saidcontact portions of said electrode pieces through said window, and asecond position, at which the contact between each of said electrodeterminals of said IC card and a corresponding one of said contactportions of said electrode pieces is broken by rotating said movingframe to a position, which is at a certain angle with respect to saidfixed frame, said support means being operable to hold said moving frameat said first position when said moving frame is rotated to take saidfirst position.
 2. An IC card connector according to claim 1 whereinsaid support means comprises first and second support pins which o aresecured to said fixed frame parallel to each other, an elongated holeengaging said second support pin, and a hooked hole engaging said firstsupport pin.
 3. An IC card connector according to claim 2 wherein saidfirst and second support pins are provided in opposing sides of saidfixed frame, and said elongated hole and said hooked hole are providedin opposing sides of said moving frame.
 4. An IC card connectoraccording to claim 2 wherein said hooked hole has a lateral portionwhich engages said first support pin to permit rotation of said movingframe when said moving frame is located at said second position, and avertical portion which engages said first support pin to inhibitrotation of said moving frame when said moving frame is located at saidfirst position.
 5. An IC card connector according to claim 4 whereinsaid moving frame is urged by spring means in such a manner that saidvertical portion of said hooked hole engages said first support pin whensaid moving frame is rotated to take said first position.
 6. An IC cardconnector according to claim 5 wherein said spring means is held betweenthe bottom of said fixed frame and the lower end of said moving frame.7. An IC card connector according to claim 5 wherein said first supportpins engaging said hooked holes extend outward from said fixed frame,and the sides of said moving frame are provided with retainer pinspassing through the sides of said fixed frame and extending outwardtherefrom, said spring means being provided between said support pinsand said retainer pins along the outside of said fixed frame.
 8. An ICcard connector according to claim 1 wherein said fixed frame is made ofan insulator.
 9. An IC card connector according to claim 1 wherein saidmoving frame is made of an insulator.
 10. An IC card connector accordingto claim 1 wherein said electrode pieces are electrically insulated fromsaid fixed frame.
 11. An IC card connector according to claim 1 whereinsaid contact portions of said electrode pieces are formed by bendingends of said electrode pieces to form angular portions.